The Belly Of The Beast
by U.E.D
Summary: UED forces land on an unamed planet to fight an infestion. Due to lack of planning, turns a battle into a bloodbath.
1. BrokenArrow

When the UED had responded to a Zerg attack in the system, Admiral Zenith was ordered for his fleet to respond. They had arrived above the planet that had issued the help, and were then promptly ambushed by a Zerg fleet. Zenith defiantly destroyed the Zerg fleet after bitter fighting which had lasted almost four days and had cost Zenith almost half of his fleet but the Zerg infestation had been stopped at one planet. The army was then tasked with freeing the planet.

General Zachel was in charge of the land engagement. Zachel had decided that it would be a three prong landing a pawn the planet. The first landing would help secure the capital city Dangeloth. The next landing was to help UED forces in the central plains. The third and final landing of UED forces was sent to secure the Southern fortress. Zerg anti-air was underestimated and the Zerg ripped apart the first of the two landings. General Zachel was killed in one such attack. To make matters worse another Zerg fleet was on its way to claim the system. Admiral Zenith estimated that the Zerg would reach the system in two months, and the nearest extra reinforcements were four months away. Zenith knew that his small force could not stand another Zerg fleet. He was left with few options, so he decided to declare a state of emergency. All in-system shipyards were to stop all construction and immediately switch over to military construction. Zenith had sent all battlecruisers not caring and vital ships or troops to the other five UED planets and watch over construction. Zenith then forced on the battle on the planet's surface. He knew that to beat the Zerg they would need to take the offensive soon or all planet-side forces would be wiped out.

Private Delth was knee high in mud. He looked all around him, to his left and right were more UED marines who were waiting for the final push from the Zerg. Delth could not remember what the name of the god-forsaken planet he was on or how long he had been on the planet. He remembered that his company had landed in the central plains to help hold the lines and begin a counter attack aimed at the Zerg heart. Delth's company Tiger company had suffered losses like almost every other company that landed in the plains. The losses could not be confirmed because troops had been trickling in from downed dropships that were supposed to be lost. The only confirmed dead was General Zachel whose dropship and escort which should have been the last to land were torn apart by devourers and mutilisks.

Right after the landings heavy fighting in-sued. More then five hundred troops and machines were lost. The 37th Gundarin rifles along with the 8th Mars mechanized were dropped in. Reserves were supposed to have landed but with no air superiority the dropships and their escorts would be ripped apart.

The final push never came, the fleet in orbit could not figure out where the Zerg had gone. The Zerg had retreated to their base and were not attacking. High command knew something was wrong, but the Zerg were emitting a signal that was jamming the fleet from doing any sort of scan or sweep. High command had decided that a combined effort from the UED stationed in the plains and troops combined with goliaths could attack and wipe out the Zerg base. So the order was given for the 37th Gundarin rifles, the 8th Mars mechanized and the 7th Planetary defense force, to move out towards a hilly region that was five kilometers from their position.

"Order given and received, we are moving out within the hour over". Said Lt. Roseburger. With a few quick calls the whole force moved out. "Private Delth why the hell have you not moved at all son we got the call to move out ten minutes ago!" Yelled Sergeant Culth.

" Sorry sir! Was just thinking of why HQ would order us into the belly of the beast without Intel and with our forces across such a wide area a counter-attack by the Zerg could easily break though sir".

" You are not paid to think grunt you are paid to fight now come on, and anyway why the hell should I know why HQ is sending us into enemy territory maybe they have an ace up their sleeve I don't know and don't care. Now get your lazy ass up and join your squad god damit!" Barked Culth. Culth and his nine-man squad were stationed at the front of the advance. Every half-kilometer the fleet would give them a com-sat update to detect borrowed Zerg. They were two kilometers from the supposed edge of the main Zerg base. " First squad halt" whispered Culth. As he waited for the com-sat update the whole army stopped and waited. The com-sat just finished and Culth screamed in horror " We are red hot I repeat for the love of god were red hot"!

To the left of Culth's squad three hydralisks popped out of the ground. Private Delmore got his gun unslung when the hydra's scythes cut him in half. Corporal Kingsmen turned and flamed the first hydralisk he saw, the remaining two hydralisks fired and pierced the visor of the corporal. Delth dropped to one knee just as spikes punched though the air where his head was before; the spikes imbedded themselves into the squad's medic. Culth took one of the bugs out but the last engaged Delth. He ducked under a swing for his head and thrust the muzzle of his gun into its belly and fired. All around Culth's squad UED and Zerg were fighting and dying. The pitched battle by the Zerg had only lasted ten minutes but the damage had been done. The whole armies advance had ground to a halt as they tired to regroup and move the wounded.

Up in high orbit an unnamed solider had watched the failed ambush unfold and was know watching the screen fixated on the combat that had just happened. He then watched his monitor in horror as a massive Zerg army swarmed against the weakened UED.

Culth looked toward the hills and yelled in horror and surprise "Oh god! We are fucked". A massive Zerg counter-attack was only minutes away from Tiger companies position and two hundred marines would not be able to hold their part of the lines against the massive assault. Culth could make out at least three ultralisks in his line of sight and he knew that there was way more then just three. He raised his rifle for the last time and yelled "1st squad on me, for the last time don't aim just shoot!" With those words "T" company's 1st squad opened fire along with countless other squads all in the front. Delth crouched, raised his gun and whispered a prayer. Then he just squeezed the trigger and let it rip. His kill counter on his HUD had said that he had killed at least twenty but that had made no noticeable dent in the oncoming horde. Hydralisks by the hundreds volleyed their spikes killing many Culth among them. Delth survived a minute longer but he met his fate at the claws of four zerglings.

Captain Aggro who was not on the front lines and until moments ago had wanted him and his squad there. Now half of the army had been overrun. Deployed siege tanks and sweeper teams of goliaths followed by rocket teams were keeping the Zerg temporarily at bay. Aggro knew it was only time before the Zerg would mass again and break though their lines and slaughter them all. It was sooner then expected when the Zerg punched right into the heart of Fox company killing them all and then advancing, making ground towards the siege tanks and the artillery batteries. 0nce the Zerg reached and destroyed these vital machines the rest of the terran lines would fall. Captain Aggro reached for the Divisions radio hoping that it was not to late and yelled into the radio "Broken Arrow! For the love of god Broken Arrow!" With that done Aggro and his company rushed to defend the guns and he hoped that they would arrive in time to turn this massacre into a victory.

Authors Note: Many of you readers may be wondering what Broken Arrow means. Well it is a code word used by the military to call in all available support, because the unit is getting wiped out. Another thing that may confuse readers is the Tiger tank. All this is, is a tank that is like the siege tanks but cannot go into siege mode. It is just a fighting tank like the Tiger tank was in WW2. As well I am wondering whether I should continue, I am looking for at least two reviews and ideas are welcome.


	2. CounterAssualt

Captain Aggro awoke with a splitting headache; he slowly lifted up his visor and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. He looked around him and tried to remember where he was. He looked over himself checking for wounds and discovered two; his first wound was a spine protruding form his stomach. He was lucky for the spine had not pierced his skin. Another spine had gone right threw his leg right below his left kneecap. The spine went cleanly though bone and tissue and was pinning his leg to the ground, preventing him from movement. Aggro then looked around him and stared in horror at what was around him.

Zerg and human bodies were everywhere; husks of tanks littered the lush grassland. He could see more Zerg coming towards his position he looked around for his Gauss rifle; he spotted it about five feet from him. He immediately grabbed his trusted 9mm pistol even though it would do, no could against a hydralisk, the weight in his hand comforted him. The Zerg were just making their way over the now barren hill, when Aggro heard a deafening sound. He looked up and saw three Barracudas flying in a "V" formation. The three ships flew over the hill, right after there was a flash followed by an explosion. When the dust settled there was no hills or Zerg.

Aggro slowly remembered what had happened after him and his platoon ran to defend the siege tanks. The platoon was soon over-run by a combined force of hydralisks and zerglings. That was when Aggro had blacked right after he had been hit by a piece of metal. Aggro was starting to feel dizzy he immediately knew that it was the poison from the hydralisks's spine, it was slowly going to kill him if he could not get to a medic and with his bad leg there was no chance of him doing so. He heard a distant rumble, looking up to the sky he thought that he would see more Barracudas, instead he saw the distant shapes of incoming dropships. A smile spread across Aggro's pain twisted face, he sighed for the last time and closed his eyes.

Medics found the dead body of captain Aggro an hour later, his face frozen in a smile. The reserves that had been promised had final landed and they would finish what Aggro and the other dead humans had started.

Over three thousand marines supported by upwards of five hundred goliaths and vultures and over a thousand tanks made their way towards the outskirts of the Zerg base. The Zerg had taken heavy losses, in the massacre of the Terran. While all available larva were being used for more warriors, the Zerg could not hold out against the heavy fist of the Terran. The spearhead strike worked great and the reserves destroyed three major bases along with six minor ones. The strike left the Terran vulnerable on their rear. The Celebrate took advantage and moved all remaining ultralisks combined with over three hundred hydralisks and zerglings to smash in the rear of the army. At the exact moment of this attack other Zerg units would attack via Overlords and drop in amongst the Terran while they were unprepared and isolate chunks of the massive army into manageable sizes. With the plan in place it relied to heavily on the fact that any of the airborne elements would not be destroyed or take any losses. As there were no reserves for both sides' surprise and speed would be the key for victory for the Zerg, but having lost air superiority, the overlords would have no support.

Don't worry there will be two major battles in the next two chapters, this last paragraph was just the outline of the forces involved in the coming engagement. Thanks for all the reviews and keep R&R, thank you.


	3. Ambush

Major Montogo cursed his luck for the third time in one day. His bad luck began when he drew the short straw and ended up at the rear of the convoy. It was about four o'clock Earth time and the two suns in the sky were both beginning to set in the east. Suddenly a message came down the line to halt the convoy; the rest of the details were lost in static. Montogo thought that an APC had thrown its track and needed to get repaired, but what he did not know was that the convoy had halted and the exact spot the Celebrate had wanted the Terran to the convoy was in place, now was time for the Zerg to attack. Montogo did not know the length of time that they would be stopped and for every minute that they did not move, he felt that more Zerg would mass at the rear. Montogo was smart enough to disembark half the men under his command and dig them in, in case of a rear attack. Montogo was paranoid and this time his paranoia would save his life again. The last remaining ultralisks combined with their smaller brethren came of the hill and poured into the rear position.

Montogo leaped from his command APC in time as a volley of no less the fifty spines hit the vehicle and destroyed it. He spun around quickly, with his finger on the trigger. He had no time to see the deaths he had caused because again he was running for his life. The expected weakened rear was unexpectedly fortified to a degree and the initial Zerg losses were high, but like all close combat fighters they eventually over-ran the human position and began to tear into the Terran. Montogo leapt up from his crouched position and ran to help troops hold part of the collapsing line.

Private Conto finger was going numb from pressing the trigger on his heavy machine gun to the point that the muzzle was almost melting. He had killed countless amounts of zerglings. His ammo indicator on his HUD was in the red and he had no remaining rounds. "Get down", yelled someone over the din of the battle. Conto gut told him to listen to the voice. He hit the dirt and not a moment to soon, just as he did about a hundred spines hit Conto position. Dozens were killed; a deep throaty roar was heard. Conto got back to his position only to see for the last time the charge of zerglings.

Montogo arrived to the collapsing line just as Private Conto and his platoon were killed. Montogo's remaining men were finished, but they had killed two of the three ultralisks. All around Montogo, troops and Zerg were killing and being killed. Montogo had no time to watch the battle, for he quickly became a participant when he was struck from behind by a zergling. Montogo should have died then had it not been for the trigger happy, private Conto. Who expertly shot the creature off without a dent to the Major's armor. The major and Conto quickly retreated up a hill to dig in with the remaining Terran, which sadly was less then thirty. Montogo looked around at the remains of his men; none of them were ranked above corporal. They had one heavy machine gun, two firebats and one missile launcher, and judging by the sounds of battle coming from up the road there would be no reinforcements. The first wave of zerglings made it to the base of the hill before the Terran could open fire, killing dozens within twenty seconds, but they kept coming.

Major Montogo could not believe that the Zerg were retreating, they were within twenty feet of the Terran line when the turned and fled. He knew in the back of his mind that the Zerg would be back and they would win, but for now all he could think about was the false sense of victory. The attack came within twenty minutes, at first it was only Zerglings, which could not get near the line, thanks to the hvy. Machine gun and the firebats. "Hydralisks"! Private Conto yelled out as twenty hydralisks appeared in the second wave of Zerg. Montogo hit the dirt as a dozen spines pierced Corporal Hyde's chest. At least three others were killed before the second wave was driven off, Montogo thought that maybe they had won and they would all live. He was sadly mistaken as a third wave of Zerg came. Targets were plentiful, even a blind man could hit something thought Monty. The third wave was being repulsed when the outline of the last remaining ultralisks loomed at the rear of the attack wave. "Take down that fucker if you want to live". Yelled Major Monty as the beast charged towards the line crushing Zerg underneath it. Gunfire was having no effect and the lonely rocket missed completely leaving no choice in Monty's mind. "Retreat for the love of Earth, fall back". Yelled Monty. It was to late as the monster reached the line and with a sweep of its tusks cut the hvy. Machine gunner in half and crushed two marines. The survivors were in full flight; a firebat's tanks ruptured engulfing him and another marine in fire. Monty dropped his rifle but could care less about that or the rest of his men. All he was worried about was his survival, which would get him killed; Monty had always stressed to the new men that if they remembered their training then they would survive. He forgot that day that training taught that when fighting the Zerg stay with a friend. Sadly Monty forgot that part of the training and ended up being digested by no less then three different Zerg as they ripped apart him piece by piece while he was still alive screaming in agony. It was a terrible loss of life for the Terran along the back portion of the convoy, four hundred marines lost, twenty tanks, ten APC's, and hundreds stranded fighting a losing battle. Only time would tell the outcome of the front portion and the outcome of the Terran strike.


	4. Another Disaster

The overlords had come out of no where; the Terran convoy had no time to react, even though alert Goliath pilots in parts of the convoy managed to kill four overlords in flight but the small amount of death would not be enough to stop the destruction coming. The celebrates plan worked to a tee for the middle of the convoy which was split up and dealt with within ten minutes of the ambush, the front of the convoy would be a different story though.

They had come out of nowhere and dropped Zerg all around his men; Sergeant Colaith had lost four men within the first minute of fighting. He loosened another forty round stream, which took out another Hydralisk; he could not help but smile in satisfaction. All around Colaith however the battle was going the same way it had for the rear portion. The sergeant and three of his men managed to make it up an embankment and continued to snipe off straggling Zerg. As the bulk of the attack force was done with the Terran forces and was proceeding upwards towards the front. All around Colaith the Terran were being wiped out, with all the Terran forces behind him already destroyed, leaving the front portion alone to continue the fight. For the Sergeant and his surviving command the battle had only lasted ten minutes but the cost had been a staggering one, one hundred and forty- five dead or missing and thirty- two wounded, not counting the destroyed tanks and Goliaths.

Further up the line right at the front the Terran finally had some success, with the most skilled of the task force assigned to either the back or front this portion had destroyed the Zerg that had landed to cut them off. The elite seventh Ninjas platoon of the 6th planetary defense force was one such unit They had not only managed to drive off another Zerg wave, but they had managed alone to destroy two Zerg attack groups and save the trapped humans, while suffering only twenty losses.

The two remaining goliaths formed an anchor for the survivors that the Ninjas had just saved but were now facing destruction from the oncoming Zerg. Captain Sania keyed his com-link four times signaling his men to fire. Sania aimed and fired, taking the throat off of a hydralisk. At least forty Zerglings and ten hydralisks were killed in a single withering volley of fire. The Zerg kept coming and they were now within three hundred meters of the Terran front line. Sania had added two more hydralisk kills to his record, then the Zerg got their chance to return fire, within one volley six marines were killed. With the Zerglings only one hundred and fifty yards it was time for some fast action by the Captain, luckily that was his strong point. He keyed his com-link "Fall-back to the tank debris. This quick action plan worked well with the firebats covering the retreating marines and the firebats fell back as well, but this plan did not work well with the Goliath's as they were swarmed over and destroyed. Without warning the Zerg withdrew, the remaining overlords flew in and extracted what they could the rest was left behind to die.

Captain Sania scratched the top of his helmet. He could not figure why the hell the Zerg withdrew, when they could have easily wiped at least half the Terran convoy. For right now though he could care less what the hell the Zerg were up to, as long as him and his men were alive. He called over his two subordinates, Sergeant Major Kellona and Lieutenant Mayes. "Well boys looks like the Zerg have bugged out, not saying this is bad or anything but I think that they are just regrouping. If that is the case, I want a casualty report, just in this area that will be Lieutenant Mayes's job. While Sergeant Major Kellona will search for supplies. Dismissed". Both men saluted and smartly turned to due their orders. Mayes was first to return back to Sania, he saluted the young captain and began his report. " Sir, we have approximately one hundred fully functional troops, which about forty are Ninja and we have one fully functional APC, sir".

" Well Lieutenant, how many men are wounded and how many are critically wounded? As well how many medics do we have on site right now, cause we are going to need them with no air cover there is no way in hell a med. dropship is going to come in here". Replied Sania

" Sorry sir, we have close to thirty wounded, fifteen critical, we have only five medics in this area but if we can make contact with the rest of the convoy maybe we can link up".

"That is not going to happen I will not waste men trying to find survivors in this shit hole my main objective is getting this sad group of men back to HQ. Any ways Mayes the others can take care of themselves, but since you seem so keen on moving then you will lead the mission that will get us out of here".

"What the hell you talking about sir I thought you did not want to waste men sir?" yelled Mayes.

"Mayes you are bordering on subordination with that outburst of yours but I will treat that crap as combat fatigue. Your job Lieutenant is with fifty men and our last APC is to move 2km southeast and take out a group of spore colonies that stand between us and getting the hell out of dodge, you leave now but take with the supplies that Kellona has dug up, dismissed".

With that Mayes turned around and began to collect both men and supplies for the upcoming attack. Sania turned to survey the carnage of the last battle; all over the desert floor was the scattered mangled bodies of Terran and Zerg. The wind was picking up the yellow sand and was slowly covering the bodies, if the Terran ever returned to this area they would have to bury these people thought Sania. Even though he knew that the Zerg would see to most of these bodies but he tried to push that out of his mind for a minute and concentrate on getting the live bodies out of hell.

The plan was simple and perfect; the whole plan played out in Mayes's mind. Take the APC and just drop fifteen troops in the middle of the base, with eight troops deployed with rockets to take out any sunken colonies. After the fifteen heavy troops took out the Hive then the rest would come in hauling ass and take out any Zerg troops stupid enough to move.

Where the plan went wrong Mayes would never know, for once the heavy troops hit the desert floor the plan fell apart. Rockets had destroyed the sunken colonies that were in range but one oversight was the presence of one lurker, which had a field day with the heavy troops, Mayes was one of the first injured as the spike managed to go into his left foot. Mayes rolled to his left, while loosening a couple of shots taking a Hydralisk in the throat. He looked to his left and saw the APC being crushed by the Lurker, there were at least ten men dead around Mayes but reinforcements were coming up the ridge. Mayes and the remaining assault troopers mowed down the remaining Zerg defending the base, but the damn lurker was still wreaking havoc claiming another three troops, two firebats ran past Mayes and started to hose the creep around the Hive with flames hoping to get the Lurker. The creature was not there however and within a minute both firebats were killed. Mayes ordered a full out retreat from the area, expect for the rocket teams, which destroyed the spore colonies. The mission was complete but the cost was high twenty marines lost and the destruction of their last APC. All in all thought Mayes the mission was done and within half an hour they would meet up with Captain and call for transport out.

Keep on reviewing people I would like to have at least two more reviews before I make another chapter. Thanks to those that have reviewed and I would appreciate more.


	5. The Enemy Within

Captain Kataran had responded to the distress signal made by a Captain Sania. He had done a fly-by checking for any threats to his ship, when he saw none he preceded to Captain Sania's position. While doing his fly-by he saw first hand the whole scale destruction of the Terran attack force. Burning hulks of APC's and tanks littered the desert floor, lying beside them was the hundreds of dead marines scattered across a ten kilometer area. Kataran saw with satisfaction the hundreds of carcass of the dead Zerg scum. He would have shed a tear like his co-pilot, years ago but he had grown too accustomed to humans getting slaughtered and his heart and brain had shut of the horrors of each tour of duty. He had learned years ago to separate his emotions when he was flying, that was the only way he had survived when so many other dropship pilots did not. He ran his gloved hand though his graying hair as he was making his untold hundredth combat landing, picking up god knew who ever the fuck had made it out of that gone to shit battle.

Captain Sania saw the drop ship coming and almost began to cry at the sight of his life coming back to him. The rest of his men rushed to meet the incoming dropships, over the hours between the issued distress signal, at least a hundred stranglers and a few goliaths made it towards Sania's position. When he did a final head count as his troops, which began his since he was the highest ranking officer, he noticed that Mayes and all his men had not returned. He knew that their job had been a success due to the explosions that could be heard from Mayes's position. All that was left of over three thousand men, four hundred tanks, one hundred goliaths and one hundred and fifty APC's was roughly one hundred and forty five men, no tanks, eight goliaths and zero APC's. Captain Sania turned around to look at the carnage around him and silently muttered to himself "We will be back you Zerg fuckers". With that said he boarded the ship, and sat down and promptly slept after being awake for the past thirty six hours.

Geoff Hurten had been losing money ever since the U.E.D had entered his system. He had been forced to run to his base hidden in a nearby asteroid field close to the planet Delvin, which was the farthest planet from the two suns in this system. He had been forced to run to this hidden base, when the U.E.D forces discovered his gun running operation and unlike the planetary police forces, the UED took action. Since their arrival they had disrupted all but two of his operations in this system.

He turned to face his new lieutenant Pial Decose and six foot six, broad shouldered ex-miner who was some where between his late thirties or early forties guessed Geoff. He had really never met the man until about an hour ago when. Geoff's pirates attacked and liberated this mining asteroid from Delvin's control, which had been using convict labor for its mining ops. Geoff had been ignoring the imposing giant behind him, not wanting to appear angry towards this hulking giant, Geoff had to reflect on what he was about to do, to get back at the UED for entering his system and destroying what had taken him years to build and he would never live to see it be rebuilt, now in his mid-sixties his life had been hard and he figured he would maybe live ten or so more years. He knew the UED had no right coming into this sector, he also knew that this so called Zerg threat was a hoax, one of his enemies had paid a UED general to help take him out, Geoff thought.

He knew how to get at the UED though, in all their wisdom they had not planned for an attack fleet to get past their outer ship yards and as such the inner planetary shipyards were less defended. That's why he needed the help of Pial. This man was the leader of a group of about thirty miners, who as far as Geoff knew would be perfect to board one of the shipyards and destroy as much as possible. How they planned to get near enough, they would have to simply fly in the ex-mining dropships and with so much traffic in the inner planetary system one or two dropships could fly unnoticed. Geoff turned around to face Pial. He spoke softly and slowly, but was very direct to the old miner "I want you to take your crew of men and simply fly right into the belly of the beast known as the UED fuckers. And I want you to board the shipyard orbiting Polust, which according to my information houses at least fifteen battlecruisers and that's all you need to know. Destroy as much as you can and haul ass, I want you alive, not because I like its cause I lost to many damn men taking this hunk of rock for my new recruits to go throwing their lives away. His words dripped with venom towards both Pial and the UED. You understand"?

"Yes I do sir, not too hard for me sir at all". Pial was happy to play the dumb giant for this little shit of man, who thought he was calling the shots, oh he would show him thought, Pial, my time will come. But right now he had to get his loyal men to pull off a really unlikely attack.

Pial looked around the cargo hold of the dropship, in the gloomy reddish light he could make out the faces of the men he had worked with for ten years. Pial had his doubts about pulling this off, not only because him and his men were limited in military training, but they would be fighting without battle armor and would be armed with Mon Cal's which was a assault rifle back in the day but now was severely out-dated, it could only hold eighty rounds per clip, the only upside to this outdated weapon was attached to its barrel lug it had a grenade launcher attachment, which was good to get though fully armoured marines. Pial knew his men could do the task assigned to them, they had surprise on their side and that the fact that the guard detail was wearing light armor and had more compact gauss rifles, meaning the Mon Cal's could puncture thought the armor and its slow rate of fire would be a hair slower then the UED's. To the left of Pial was an ex-confederate sniper who for on reason or another had ended up in prison, but Pial knew the man had the best shot out of this scratch company, Lenix was one of eight ex-military personal, which was the limit of military training, the others were hardened criminals most for murder or running drug operations, you were not sent to an asteroid for robbing an old lady thought Pial as he drifted off to sleep.

Pial woke suddenly and looked around; the dropship had not landed yet but had just de-accelerated preparing to land. Pial knew he had to lead the men, he chose his words carefully, "Men when this ramp drops sprint off and take up firing positions, do not I repeat do not stay on this ramp or you will die. Second if u kill a man you get his rifle and ammo and are required to ditch your old gun and ammo and spread it out amongst the rest of the men, our objective as you remember is to get control of the control room which is approximately three minute run from our landing bay. Ok men lets pay back these U.E.D bastereds". Just as he finished his speech, the ramp descended and Pial fired from his hip as he ran for cover, catching a marine in the throat. The rest of the marine detail dazed and stunned lost two before they fired back, taking out three miners who were the last ones to get off the dropship.

Pial was crouched behind a pile of crates; beside him were Fen, Garson, and Durel. Pial quickly loaded a grenade into his launcher, rose above the crates and was promptly shot at and forced to duck "On the count of three give me covering fire in all directions. Ok one, two three" All four miners rose simultaneously, guns blazing Pial quickly saw four marines taking cover behind some barrels, he took aim and fired. The result was a fiery explosion which consumed all the marines and forced the rest to retreat.

The miners quickly gathered up any UED weapons and proceeded on their way out of the hanger, towards the control center. They turned into a ten foot wide corridor with piles of crates lining the wall every five or so feet. The miners quickly needed to use cover as a heavy machine gun opened up at the end of the hall and cut down Fen and Goras. "Take out that gunner Lenix", yelled Pial. A minute later the gun stopped firing foolishly Durel ran out of cover, and with the gun reloaded he was shredded. Pial looked in horror at the bloody remains of one of his friends, and knew that they would have to advance or they would not capture their objective and the deaths of Fen and Durel would be for nothing. With a swift hand signal the order was given to advance, as the miners rose out of cover not only did the heavy gun fire but at least one squad of marines opened up as well. Four more miners were dead within ten seconds of breaking cover, yet they unit had not even moved. Pial jumped over his old cover and ran with is head down to the next set of crates, lobbing a grenade at what he hoped was the heavy machine gun, it went off followed by man screaming. He had hit them but how many were down, he would have to find out later, more of the miners followed Pial's lead and fired their grenades at the marine's position. Even though the heavy gun was still firing after the devastating volley of grenades the supporting fire had lessened. Pial stuck his head out of cover quickly getting a look at the enemy position, he guessed that there was about four to five marines still firing and the heavy gun was well protected, so that nothing short of a tank shell or a head on assault would take it out. Pial looked behind him at the remaining men he had with him, in his line of sight he could make out twelve men, he did some quick guessing and figured he had maybe eighteen men left alive including himself. Pial was still twenty meters from the gun position and the last man in the company was at least forty meters. Pial had one design left, him and his remaining men would have to charge the bunker head on, and they would have to do it in one go. With a few hand signals so every man saw it Pial's men rose out of cover, for many this would be their last time doing so and they charged the gun head on.

Meanwhile in the hanger the two pilots, checked their pistols and got up from their seats. They approached a cupboard located just behind the cockpit and removed from it two UED uniforms. The two men quickly changed into the disguises and they calmly went to the middle of the cargo bay inside their ship and picked up a long silvery container between themselves and proceeded to the reactor core of the station. The men were never questioned as they slowly made their way, even though the station was under attack the engineers and crew were told that it was a small rebel attack and to continue on as normal.

They two men knew they would not be stopped for they wore uniforms of highly ranked engineers and their answer for any questions was a team to prevent the core from being breached by outside sources and the container that they cared was shielding. They had reached the reactor core room at the same time that Pial launched his assault on the gun position, they put the container down and the taller one sat down on the container, while the bulkier man was pacing back and fourth in anticipation.

Pial leaped over the barrier and swung the stock of his gun into the head of an unsuspecting marine who crumpled to the floor, he swung around and fired point blank taking out the gunner and two more marines, two miners joined Pial and were fighting the last two marines behind him. Pial turned to face his injured enemy and with no mercy shot the boy in the head. With the marines killed, Pial finally got his hands on a Gauss rifle; he re-loaded and wiped the blood of the previous owners, off the gun.

His remaining men gathered around him all together he had fourteen fully functional and three wounded one so bad he could not walk and could only hold a pistol, he was shot promptly on the spot. Pial's team quickly sprinted the last twenty meters do the control room, they entered the room with guns a blazing taking out at least four crewmembers and two marines, before the UED fired back catching Garson in the shoulder and killing the man to the left of Garson. Pial ducked behind a control board as shots went overhead colliding with the wall. Pial rose spraying the adjacent control panel taking out the two crew hiding there; he reloaded and pivoted to his left, and sprayed the left corridor mowing down three marines running into the control room.

All around Pial the gun battle was winding down, when the far door on the right opened up a goliath and six fully armoured marines came out of the corridor firing as they walked mowing down rebel and UED alike. The few scattered rebels that survived the initial volley were in disarray and some broke cover trying to escape and were quickly taken out. Suddenly one marine fell to the ground dead with bullet holes in his visor then a second one fell and a third was wounded. Pial immediately knew that Lenix was still alive. Pial ran over to Lenix's position and beside Lenix was the radio operator. Pial looked around for alive rebels but there was none, plenty of dead but no one was alive. The three of them lay hugging the control panel, thinking about what ever men doomed to die think about. Pial quickly remembered his orders if he could not capture the control room, "Paul give me the radio". Paul turned and quickly shrugged off the radio pack. The man hit the floor again as another volley of bullets was released to the left of them. "This is Pial, we can not, I repeat can not reach our objective, release the Fat Man now. I repeat release the Fat Man now". Just as he finished talking a frustrated Goliath pilot took out their position with a rocket cremating all three of the men in an instant.

The bulkier man's head suddenly snapped up as his radio began to squawk in his pocket. He took it out and put it to his ear. His faced turned from serious to that of a martyr. He immediately undid the clasps of the container, when the man had the lid off any UED crew immediate saw what was inside and reached for their side arms. Both pilots reached for concealed guns as well, and both sides fired at the same time. The taller man took six bullets to the chest and died, the shorter man took one in the knee and two in the shoulder and his head was clipped. The man took out four UED before he was shot in the side of the neck, knowing that he was going to die anyway, the man dropped his rifle and crawled over to the container. He was hit three more times on his way, but he managed to reach inside and press the green button on the Fat Man device, as he did this a bullet passed though his head , the UED crew for their short remaining lives would swear that the short man died with a smile on his face. They had approximately eight seconds to celebrate their small victory, after that time elapsed Fat Man went off.

Admiral Zenith strode on to the command bridge of his flag ship _"Show No Mercy"_. He had just woken up after a good nights sleep and had not had a chance to read the reports on fleet production, but from previous reports they had fully produced two battlecruisers, four frigates and three escorts. He looked across the solar system taking it all in. His fleet was positioned just above the Capital planet.

He was watching the shipyards constructing their ships, when suddenly a flash of light was seen where one of the ship yards had been floating above Polust. He stared in horror as the mighty ship yard was destroyed in front of his eyes; his mouth was gaping as he dropped his coffee mug and it shattered on the deck and shook the crew out of their stunned daze. Zenith knew immediately that the explosion was nuclear. He would punish those responsible and they would pay.

Well how was that I know that was kind of a long chapter, but I hope that you were not bored with this chap. Well if you want to read more great star craft stories read Space Station Crimson or read Band of Brothers which is an amazing story as well. Well thanks for all the reviews and don't for get to review this chapter.


	6. Aftermath

Admiral Zenith had been in meetings ever since the shipyard had exploded, he was left with little answers and even more questions. Zenith realized that this attack had got everyone off guard even the intelligence community in the sector. He had a long list of suspects and the quick and dirty way appealed to Zenith when he issued the order for the Intel group to take out all the people on the suspect list. He did not care that most of these people most likely had nothing to do with the explosion but Zenith felt that getting rid of them would help clean up this sector.

Zenith now was able to go back to his quarters and read detailed reports of disaster above Polust. He read over the casualty report with his anger mounting, he thought that maybe he was being soft on these bastereds that planned the attack he thought that he should order the deaths of their families as well. Sixteen battlecruisers were destroyed as well as eight battlecruisers in production. Four frigates and ten escort ships were lost as well in the nuclear attack. At least ten thousand people were killed.

While the Polust commandoes dealt with the rebels, Zenith had to focus on the ongoing fight on the only infested planet in the sector. He had to get a victory plant side for the sake of moral after two sweeping victories by the Zerg; Terran morale was low to the point of breaking.

He saw the concentration of Zerg to the South around the huge fortress city which in a matter of days would be cut off and helpless. The only way to defeat the gathered Zerg was cut off its supply line that lay to the East of the commanding Celebrate. The only snag was it would have to be an air drop and there was no way that any forces could be pulled off the planet. This meant he would have to call men from other planets. Polust would provide the most men with Mackeron, and Deadterith providing at least one regiment a planet. Polust would provide at least three regiments of troops and one tank regiment. Now the fun part would be to convince the planets governors to give over that many men. Thought Zenith bitterly, he figured he could get at least one regiment from Polust but taking three would really deplete the garrison some.

He calmly sat in his overstuffed leather chair in his personal quarters and pressing a button bringing him a live connection to the Polustion governor. "What do you want" snapped the distraught governor who was at least fifty, balding and had been awake since the attack on the planets precious shipyard. "Well good afternoon to you to governor, I know you are busy so I'll get right down to business. As you may know the attack carried out on your shipyard was the work of the Zerg". "What the hell are you talking about? My sources tell me that it was carried out by a rebel faction thinking that the UED made up the Zerg threat in this sector, and I damn well know my source is reliable so don't try to tell me that this was a Zerg attack". Yelled the governor who was near the breaking point.

"By god man this attack was carried out by rebels but we have reason to believe that they were under the influence of the Zerg, and that key members may have been infested by the Zerg. Yelled Zenith right back at the poor distraught man.

"This is not the only reason why you called me is it Admiral?"

"No it is not, in light of recent events planet side I need more men and I am looking to your planet to provide six regiments of troops and three tank regiments. I have already asked the governors of Mackeron and Deadterith and they have agreed to provide two regiments already, and I feel if your people knew that the Zerg killed the loved ones, they will not hesitate to send more of the loved ones to combat this virus." Zenith could tell that he had broken down the governor.

The governor knew he was beaten by this Admiral, but he thought that maybe, just maybe he could send fewer men to die on foreign land. "Admiral after quick consideration I have decided to help your cause but without weakening my planets garrison too much. I have thought of a compromise, I will give you four regiments and one tank regiment. I am sorry if this will not be enough but this is all I can comfortable send away without risking my own planet".

"This is great governor, your help will be greatly appreciated, and with your men we shall now be guaranteed victory, I will not forget the sacrifice by your planet sir, Zenith out".

Zenith could not help but smile, not only had he tricked the Polustion governor into thinking that the attack on his shipyard had been the work of the Zerg but he had managed to secure one more regiment from Polust then he previously thought. Getting men from Mackeron and Deadterith would be easy, as one regiment was pocket change especially for a highly populated planet like Mackeron.

He pressed a green button on his command chair connecting him with the bridge, "Assemble high command in two hours aboard my ship, and tell them that I plan to launch another daring assault".

"We copy you admiral sending your message now". Replied the monotone voice of the communications officer who for Zenith was just another faceless solider fighting an equally faceless enemy. The troops had been assembled in high orbit all that they needed was a final draft of Zenith's plan and then they would land on the planets surface.

"Sir we should land the Deadterithiens first to clear the way, it will cost you most of them but after that you stand to only lose 40 of your landing party in the ensuing attack successfully cutting the Zerg supply line and smashing aside the Eastern defenses of the Celebrate". Said a by the book officer who had never fought on the front lines and his plan was quickly voted out by a vote of 10-1.

"Any other suggestions, there has to be someone in this room who can think of landing all these men at once and ripping apart not only the Eastern defenses but sweeping around the defenses surrounding the Celebrate and then landing a ghost team to kill it once and for all". Yelled the now frustrated Zenith who had his own plan out by a vote of 5-6.

"I think I have an idea sir, we begin with heavy orbital bombings of the whole celebrate defenses and then paste the AA structures with air bombings. What's ever is left is then destroyed by our landing forces, taking minimal losses in the air and on the ground, about 2 will die in the air with only 7 losses on the ground, bringing the total to just around 10 losses. If we can contact the forces in the fort maybe the can sally forth and breakout of the encirclement and join with our forces in a final push to kill the Zerg leader". Everyone in the room turned to look at the youngest and quietest general in the room who was the only surviving member of Zach's command and had been slowly learning what it took to be a general in operation planning.

Zenith was the first to speak, "Son I don't know where the hell you were before but if your numbers are correct, and then I can see this plan becoming a reality. Everyone vote on general Vadina's plan". The plan was passed with a vote of 9-2. General Vadina stood at the front of the room red with embarrassment as having his first plan chosen to become a mission, but not just an ordinary mission. This mission's outcome would dictate the course of the war on the planet's surface

Two hours later:

"I would like to thank everyone who voted for my plan and thank Admiral Zenith for actually allowing me to speak amongst you great men. Well getting down to business, the orbital bombardment should begin in two hours, with a six straight hour air bombing of remaining AA structures. In twenty four hours from now the landing shall start with the Polustion 3rd and 1st landing ten minutes ahead of the landing force, clearing a landing zone for the infantry. Ten minutes after the infantry land the tanks will land. After both elements have landed tank and man move as one smashing aside Zerg defenses. I have talked with Luxabordia and they agreed to send goliaths and infantry to clear the way and link up with the drop troops. Not only can we kill the Zerg leader we will also wipe out the Zerg in the south, leaving pockets of Zerg to the east and southeast of the capital city". The room was gripped in an awkward silence that lasted for a short period and was ended by everyone clapping as one, with the round of an applause Vadina took a shaky bow and sat down in his chair. The ship shuddered in unison with the whole fleet as it began the orbital bombardment.


End file.
